Debate highlights differing views of Kelly, DiNicola
ERIE — The only scheduled debate between U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, and his opponent, Democrat Ron DiNicola, demonstrated widely varying views on all issues brought up by the four-person panel tasked with asking the pair questions.
The two men, who are running for the new 16th Congressional District, squared off before 350 people Monday night at Mercyhurst University.
While the event's moderator asked the audience to refrain from reacting to answers, loud applause, groans of opposition and the ejection of one woman who shouted at Kelly as he gave an answer were part of the proceedings.
At one point, Kelly, who repeatedly accused DiNicola of having his facts wrong, referred to his opponent as “Pinocchio.”
“That nose is going to go the whole way to the back of the room,” Kelly said.
Those who came to support DiNicola, who is an Erie native and resident, shouted Kelly down as he continued with the comment.
Both men gave opening statements, with DiNicola accusing the incumbent of backing a tax plan that he said gives 84 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, supporting a trade deal that benefits his car dealership, and fighting the redistricting that gave more residents a voice.
Kelly in his opening statement introduced his wife and talked about his family and thanked the university for hosting the debate.
“We have differing views on policy and views of the U.S. and where it can go,” Kelly said of his opponent.
The panel asked many and varied questions, all pertinent to current issues and events in the district, state and nation.
Asked by a panelist whether each would have voted for Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Kelly said there was no evidence to support the allegations against Kavanaugh.
“It was horrible for this country to go through,” Kelly said of the opposition and accusations Kavanaugh faced.
DiNicola did not watch the hearings in their entirety, he said, so he would not comment on what his vote for Kavanaugh would have been.
“The bigger issues is that Congress should deal with issues in a civil way,” he said. “At the highest level of government, (the hearings) should have been handled more civilly and with more professionalism.”Asked by a Mercyhurst student on the panel about global warming and the changes that must be made to improve the environment, Kelly acknowledged that there is evidence of global warming that “could be from human beings.”Kelly said it should not be the responsibility of the U.S. to take the lead on an environmental fix because China and Russia are the biggest global polluters.“Is there a need for change? Yes,” Kelly said. “Is it the fault of the U.S.? No.”DiNicola said Kelly has the worst record in Congress when it comes to the environment.“It is up to us to protect our children and grandchildren from it,” he said.Another questioner asked the men whether they support term limits for members of Congress.Kelly said term limits are an option every time there is an election.“Voters decide whose terms are limited,” he said.DiNicola said he supports “reasonable term limits for Congress.”Regarding immigration reform, Kelly and DiNicola also had widely varying views.Kelly said the anguish that has occurred for immigrants in recent times is a result of policies put in place by the Obama administration.He said a Republican plan would have allowed more immigrants into the U.S. was not supported by the Democratic congressmen.“The plan was destroyed by the Democrats,” Kelly said.“This is what is wrong with Congress, the finger pointing,” DiNicola said.He said he would support immigration reform, but he would not open the country's borders.“You have to treat immigration with responsibility, but (immigrants) have to abide by our rules,” DiNicola said.Asked about ways to decrease the $20 trillion national deficit, DiNicola suggested closing corporate tax loopholes and not passing measures that will “blow up the deficit.”
“We also need to make the Europeans pay their fair share of our defense,” DiNicola said.Kelly said that Democrats will go against President Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which would reduce the deficit.“(Trump) is truly making America great again,” Kelly said to raucous applause from his supporters.Kelly said not a single Democrat supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.“I will not embrace Nancy Pelosi or Maxine Waters,” he said as DiNicola's supporters voiced their disapproval.DiNicola said super PACs and secret contributors to campaigns are a large part of the problem in Congress.“The system is awash in dark money,” he said.Regarding the load of student loan debt plaguing young people, Kelly said college presidents are saying students do not need all of the money they are borrowing.He also said the U.S. records student debt as an asset when “not a penny” has been paid on half of it.“I think I just heard my opponent blame the kids,” DiNicola said.On protecting Medicare and Social Security, Kelly said the strong economy produced by the Trump administration has provided the highest number of employed individuals in the history of the U.S.“The revenues from wage taxes provide revenue for those programs,” he said.Kelly said he will continue to protect Social Security.“It's their money, not the government's money,” he said of workers who contribute to Social Security.DiNicola said when it comes to Social Security, he is concerned with the Republican increase in the deficit.“They are setting up for a cut on Medicare and Social Security because they are not going to have any other way to pay for (the deficit),” he said.During Kelly's closing statement, a woman was hustled out of the auditorium after shouting at Kelly when he said a Democratic congressman would mean higher taxes, more regulations and taking away tax cuts put in place by Republicans.No other debates have been officially scheduled between the two candidates.
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